The Associated Press

Sanctioned Russian tanker docks in Cuba after US allows passage despite energy blockade

BBC News

Russian oil tanker reaches Cuba as US blockade seemingly loosened

Al Jazeera

Russian tanker reaches Cuba amid critical energy shortage

Russian tanker approaches Cuba despite US oil blockade

Anadolu Agency

Cuba thanks Russia for fuel shipment amid ongoing energy strains

Democracy Now

U.S. Pressure on Cuba Continues Despite Arrival of Russian Oil Tanker

FOX News

US allows Russian oil tanker to reach Cuba amid blockade as Trump says island has to survive

Breitbart

Russian tanker brings oil to Cuba as US eases blockade

Reuters

Russian Oil Tanker Enters Anchorage Cubas Matanzas Port Ship Data Says 2026 03 31

Politico

Russian Tanker Cuba Blockade Humanitarian 00850838

Metaculus

Will The Cuban Government Lose Power Before 2027

AlArabiya_Eng

SABCNews

EL PAÍS English

US says oil deliveries to Cuba will be made on a case-by-case basis

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2026/russia-sends-oil-tanker-to-crisishit-cuba">The Russian-flagged tanker Anatoly Kolodkin</a> docked at Cuba's port of Matanzas on Tuesday, carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of crude oil — the first oil tanker to reach the island in three months.

SABC News

The Russian-flagged tanker Anatoly Kolodkin docked at Cuba's port of Matanzas on Tuesday, carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of crude oil — the first oil tanker to reach the island in three months.

The Trump administration said it allowed the sanctioned vessel to proceed for "humanitarian reasons," with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stressing that the Russian shipment does not represent a "formal change" in sanctions policy.

The Trump administration said it allowed the sanctioned vessel to proceed for "humanitarian reasons," with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stressing that the Russian shipment does not represent a "formal change" in sanctions policy.

Trump told reporters on Sunday he had "no problem" with Russia or other countries sending oil to Cuba, saying "they have to survive," though he also said "Cuba's finished" and described its leadership as "bad and corrupt."

Al Arabiya English

Trump told reporters on Sunday he had "no problem" with Russia or other countries sending oil to Cuba, saying "they have to survive," though he also said "Cuba's finished" and described its leadership as "bad and corrupt."

Cuba’s energy crisis deepened after <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2026/trump-orders-military-strikes-on-venezuela-facilities">the U.S. ousted Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro</a> in January, cutting off a key oil supply. Mexico also halted shipments following U.S. tariff threats, though it is now considering rejoining efforts to send fuel to the island.

Cuba’s energy crisis deepened after the U.S. ousted Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro in January, cutting off a key oil supply. Mexico also halted shipments following U.S. tariff threats, though it is now considering rejoining efforts to send fuel to the island.

Experts said the shipment would offer only limited relief, with estimates suggesting the diesel would cover roughly two weeks of demand, while analysts described Cuba’s power problems as "structural rather than episodic."

Experts said the shipment would offer only limited relief, with estimates suggesting the diesel would cover roughly two weeks of demand, while analysts described Cuba’s power problems as "structural rather than episodic."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia considered it its duty to assist Cuba, as Cuba's Foreign Ministry thanked "the Government and people of Russia for their solidarity". The U.S. said it would review any additional oil deliveries on a "case-by-case" basis.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia considered it its duty to assist Cuba, as Cuba's Foreign Ministry thanked "the Government and people of Russia for their solidarity". The U.S. said it would review any additional oil deliveries on a "case-by-case" basis.

The Associated Press #3594

BBC News #

Al Jazeera #3

RT #1975

Anadolu Agency #

Democracy Now #999

FOX News #

Breitbart #

Reuters #

Politico #

Metaculus #

EL PAÍS English #

The Russian-flagged tanker Anatoly Kolodkin docked at Cuba's port of Matanzas on Tuesday, carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of crude oil — the first oil tanker to reach the island in three months.

Cuba's energy crisis deepened after the U.S. seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, cutting off a key oil supplier. Mexico also halted shipments after Trump threatened tariffs on any country sending crude to the island.

Cuba's energy crisis deepened after the U.S. seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, cutting off a key oil supplier. Mexico also halted shipments after Trump threatened tariffs on any country sending crude to the island.

Experts said the shipment would offer only limited relief. Jorge Pinon of the University of Texas at Austin estimated the refined diesel would cover roughly two weeks of demand, while Cuban economist Ricardo Torres called Cuba's power problems "structural rather than episodic."

Experts said the shipment would offer only limited relief. Jorge Pinon of the University of Texas at Austin estimated the refined diesel would cover roughly two weeks of demand, while Cuban economist Ricardo Torres called Cuba's power problems "structural rather than episodic."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia considered it its duty to assist Cuba and would "continue to work" on further shipments. The Trump administration said it would review any additional oil deliveries on a "case-by-case" basis.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia considered it its duty to assist Cuba and would "continue to work" on further shipments. The Trump administration said it would review any additional oil deliveries on a "case-by-case" basis.

Letting a sanctioned Russian tanker dock in Cuba while claiming no policy change is a contradiction that undermines the entire pressure campaign against Havana's communist regime. The blockade was working — Cuba was at the negotiating table — and this reprieve hands the government breathing room to dig in rather than make real concessions. Allowing Russia to test American resolve in its own hemisphere without consequence signals weakness at the worst possible moment.

Letting a sanctioned Russian tanker dock in Cuba while claiming no policy change is a contradiction that undermines the entire pressure campaign against Havana's communist regime. The blockade was working — Cuba was at the negotiating table — and this reprieve hands the government breathing room to dig in rather than make real concessions. Allowing Russia to test American resolve in its own hemisphere without consequence signals weakness at the worst possible moment.

The US blockade was never a legitimate pressure tool — it was collective punishment that denied ordinary Cubans fuel, triggered island-wide blackouts and pushed a civilian population to the brink of collapse. Blocking oil shipments while complaining about Iran restricting sea lanes is stark hypocrisy, and the fact that Washington ultimately blinked proves the policy was both cruel and strategically incoherent. Russia's delivery exposed the blockade as an unsustainable overreach.

The US blockade was never a legitimate pressure tool — it was collective punishment that denied ordinary Cubans fuel, triggered island-wide blackouts and pushed a civilian population to the brink of collapse. Blocking oil shipments while complaining about Iran restricting sea lanes is stark hypocrisy, and the fact that Washington ultimately blinked proves the policy was both cruel and strategically incoherent. Russia's delivery exposed the blockade as an unsustainable overreach.

France 24

France 24 #

The Hypocrisy Was So Stark Expert Says As Us Reverses Course On Cuba Oil Blockade

Russian Tanker Docks in Cuba After 3-Month Shortage

Russian Tanker Docks in Cuba After 3-Month Shortage

Cuba

United States of America

Oil & gasoline

The U.S. blockade was never a legitimate pressure tool — it was collective punishment that denied ordinary Cubans fuel, triggered island-wide blackouts and pushed a civilian population to the brink of collapse. Blocking oil shipments while complaining about Iran restricting sea lanes is stark hypocrisy, and the fact that Washington ultimately blinked proves the policy was both cruel and strategically incoherent. Russia's delivery exposed the blockade as an unsustainable overreach.

The U.S. blockade was never a legitimate pressure tool — it was collective punishment that denied ordinary Cubans fuel, triggered island-wide blackouts and pushed a civilian population to the brink of collapse. Blocking oil shipments while complaining about Iran restricting sea lanes is stark hypocrisy, and the fact that Washington ultimately blinked proves the policy was both cruel and strategically incoherent. Russia's delivery exposed the blockade as an unsustainable overreach.

There is a 20 percent chance that the Cuban government will lose power before 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There is a 20 percent chance that the Cuban government will lose power before 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker Docks in Cuba

Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker Docks in Cuba After 3-Month Shortage

The Spin

Metaculus Prediction

Articles on this story

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters
Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters